New Partner and Business Development Officer
Essential Touchstones is excited to announce Dr. Jerri Avery Gledhill as an Essential Touchstones Partner and Business Development Officer. Jerri Avery Gledhill Ph.D., LPC, has over 20 years of experience in clinical treatment services, federal grant-writing and implementation, social service program management, work force development, social science research, and governmental and nonprofit leadership. Dr. Gledhill met the founder of Essential Touchstones, Dr. Alyssa Killebrew, early in her career and the two developed a fast friendship. Professional pursuits and like minds have continued to bring them together. Essential Touchstones is the avenue through she hopes to continue her mission to serve people who are hurting and promote healing. Dr. Gledhill currently also works in private practice at Killebrew Psychological Services, LLC in Ridgeland, MS (also owned and founded by Dr. Killebrew) and provides behavioral health policy and evaluation consultation services. She is married to James “Gleddy” Gledhill and is the proud mom of five children. Learn more about Dr. Gledhill.
New Adult Trauma-Focused IOP
Essential Touchstones is proud to announce the launch of an Adult Trauma-Focused Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) in November 2022. While Essential Touchstones has long provided IOP service for adolescents with mental health and/or substance use disorders, the program is now newly certified by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health to provide this service for adults. The target population will be adults with mental health disorders created by or exacerbated by traumatic experiences.
Once a week appointments are not always sufficient to meet the mental health needs of individuals and inpatient levels of care exceed what the individual needs to mitigate symptoms. When this is case, an IOP can provide a time-limited, intense level of treatment aimed at the reduction or elimination of self-harm, suicidality, dissociation, guilt, numbness, anxiety, flashbacks, loss of trust, anger, loss of pleasure, and other symptoms and the increase in functionality at home, school or work. Essential Touchstones will continue to refer persons with a primary substance use disorders to other IOP programs in our community and will focus our treatment on individuals with a substantial history of trauma resulting in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or other mental health disorders that have resulted in a marked reduction in quality of life.
The IOP group will meet three times a week, for three hours per day and also include a minimum of one hour of individual therapy per week. The curriculum includes components of the Seeking Safety curriculum for the treatment of trauma and the following evidence-based treatment programs and practices: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Internal Family Systems and Experiential Therapy. The coordinator is Ms. Dena Campbell, LPC-S, who is a first responder and an experienced mental health practitioner. Contact us for more information at [email protected] or 769-231-9414.